In an effort to raise funds and inspire education about international adoption, we are sharing our own journey as we take it step by step. Our desire is to adopt two siblings, Ruslan and Anastasiya, from an orphanage in Ukraine.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

We know a few other families adopting from the same orphanage who are also madly fundraising right now. Please spread the word about this wonderful, family-friendly event for the Bahr family in Orem...and support them, too, if you can!

International Music and Dance Adoption Fundraising Concert

UVU, Ragan Theater

Tuesday, November 1

7:00-8:15 pm

Tickets: $10...all proceeds go to the adoption fund of the Bahr family of Orem. They are adopting Tanya from Ukraine.

Monday, October 17, 2011

My apologies to all those who may have been waiting for this post. I actually did write it, days ago, but for some reason the only thing that ended up being posted was the picture! Please forgive my lack of attention to all the wonderful accounts of generosity sent in our direction.

With six children already living at home (which include a teenager who has just started his first year of high school, one potty-training cutie and another toddling cutie) I have a challenge keeping my eyes open long enough at night to write...let alone make any sense! You are in our prayers, nonetheless. Your kindness and sacrifice is known not only by us but by our loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers prayers. We pray that you will be added upon for all you have given in our behalf...even if we don't post that we do! :) Now to Green Valley...

Marsh's sweet sister, Holly, rallied the sweet sisters in her area to tirelessly create wonderful things to sell at a fantastic rummage and bake sale in Green Valley, California. Here is their mom's account and feelings about the experience:

WOW, is all I can say. What a week this has been, and with hardly any effort on MY part, but LOTS on Holly's part and our ward's fabulous members. All came forth with creativity, muscle, items donated, foods for sale, sorting skills, arranging skills, you name it.

We made about $3,500, mostly from the items sold, and very little from any actual donation. Holly even arraigned a gal to come and make crepes rolled with yummy stuff in them for sale.

I attached a picture taken from the east side of my yard. Look at the food area and you will see Holly's Buttermilk Syrup, my freezer jams, Emma's hand painted cards, Patty's earrings, breads of all kinds including the Caprisun bags on the hat tree, and other crafts on the decorated tables. Past those (hard to see) are the rows of tables and items in the long driveway for sale including a HUGE, LONG table, couch, several chairs, book cases, etc. BABY clothes up the yingyang, and all kinds of just stuff.

As I mentioned to Alisa, I truly believe in volunteerism. Much more effort, love, and dedication is had with volunteering than with being paid to do the really important things of life.

More donations came in later from other generous people bringing the total for this even to $4,000! What a gift of time, effort and resources. What an incredible thing it is to have women so far away do so much for people they have never met. Women of Christ would, though. They would do all they could to serve Him in whatever way He asked.

I would like to share the message of gratitude that I have sent on to them. It says everything I want to say on the matter:Dear Sisters,
What a joy it is to know that, even a few states away, you sisters are there to help and support someone you have never even met. What an incredible organization this church is that allows us to be bound together in such a way.

As sisters in the Gospel, we know it is our duty to be a "relief" to those who suffer, to lift up the hands which hang down, to strengthen the feeble knees. And as followers of Christ we are to concern ourselves with the fatherless.

With all your hard work and sacrifice of time, talents and means to put together such a successful fundraiser, you have done all these things!

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for being willing to share so much of yourselves. We know very well how much time, effort, thought and work goes in to such an event. We are so touched that you would give so freely. The time and resources you spent in behalf of these children was truly consecrated to the Lord. You are doing His work!

We just want you to know that the amount you brought in with that one event was equivalent to two of our fundraisers! All that effort really paid off! Please know that we consider all these funds sacred and consecrated to the one purpose of bringing Ruslan and Nastia home.

You are in our prayers. As a family, we pray daily for all those generous souls who have done so much for us. We recognize your sacrifice and so does our Heavenly Father. We pray that all that you have given will be received by you again 100-fold in whatever way the Lord knows you need to be blessed. Thank you again!

Please keep up with us on our blog to see what your efforts have done and follow our journey. With six children already, it's hard to find time to keep up with posting about each and every blessing we receive, but know that you are in our hearts and minds nonetheless!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

We are so grateful for all the generous souls who are out there making a difference in our behalf! We know there are people working in ways we don't even know about. For example, I saw a friend whom I have not seen for several months when picking my son up from soccer practice. She told me about a little girl who was selling chocolates at the soccer field and when asked what she was earning the money for, she told my friend that it was for the Morford's adoption fund! I still do not know who this little girl is and the experience made me realize that there are people out there pulling for us, sacrificing precious time, effort and resources to help us bring these children home. To all those who are these unseen angels, know that we pray for you daily, requesting that the generosity you spend on our cause will be returned to you 100 fold!

Then, there are those we've had the privilege to meet and interact with. We were so blessed to be asked to participate and be benefited by the Payson High School choir concert this last Wednesday. We put together a slide show of families around our community who are working to answer the prayers of the children throughout the world. We have been so blessed by so many generous people, we wanted to take the opportunity to bring to light the other families who are doing similar things to make a difference in the lives of innocent children who have, for whatever reason, ended up in tragic situations:

The Belks of West Mountain who are adopting Kai, their new Down's Syndrome daughter, from Ghana. They are also building a safe house to allow people to stay there for a period of time to train the adults at the orphanage how to teach effectively so the children can get an education.

The Wards of Genola who have started Endowed Prosperity International, a foundation that connects people who want to make a difference with those who have the means to make it possible.

The Millers and Bahrs, families also adopting from the same orphanage in Ukraine where Ruslan and Nastia live.

We are privileged to know such people and are so grateful to Marilyn, Miranda, Melissa and the PHS choirs for making this event possible and for desiring to make a difference!

Monday, October 10, 2011

We have been so blessed to have the Payson High School choir directors offer their concert this Wednesday night as a fund raiser for us! We will be speaking and showing a slide show during their performance of "Prayer of the Children".

However, our focus will be to educate the community about many of the families that are making a difference in children's lives throughout the world. All the proceeds will be split with other families adopting from Ukraine.

Come join us! Check out the link under our "Fundraising Events" tab. See you there!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

I have to admit, I'm exhausted. I have put off writing this post, sharing the miracles of the last fundraiser, because I can't stay awake late enough at night to be able to write...and my days are so full with the needs of my family and my other responsibilities. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that means those who will be mentioned here may not have an opportunity to read of our gratitude and the change that they have wrought in our lives. I hope that isn't so, that they will still come across this post and know what angels they all were.

I am sure I will forget someone in this review of experiences. Please forgive me if I haven't or do not mention you. Know that every donation of any size has been life-changing and heart-touching to us.

The yard sale two weekends ago brought in $1800. But, more than that, it brought to us an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and...well...surprise. Sometimes I think this experience is partly for the Lord to show me how many good, generous people there are in the world. He also seems to be trying to teach me that He is there, supporting us, carrying us through this time and this journey. He has sent people to us, allowed us to meet people who have changed the way we think, blessed us with peace or given beyond any expectation...a humbling experience in every way.

Here are some accounts from what I now call our "Day of Miracles". I will write what I can tonight and perhaps share more later...I will just use first names in these accounts.

As can be read in a former post, the number of items of clothing to organize and prepare for these sales was literally overwhelming. Only one other time in my married life do I remember praying specfically for the Lord to "send someone". I was in over my head, unable to take care of the needs of my family like I wanted to and I just needed help...someone to help me get through it all and be prepared in time for the sale. No one ever came to my door. But, there was help. They didn't come to organize clothes, but they came to help in ways I needed more than organizing clothes. It is just a testimony to me that the Lord knows our needs. We may think we need something, but He knows better. And He knows when we'll need Him more in the future. And that was the case with me. I thought I was in over my head at home with all the clothes. Little did I know, the time I would really need the help was at the sale itself.

I received an email, out of the blue, from a woman who read our article in the Daily Herald. She simply wrote, "I loved what you're trying to do do. I would love to help! I read about your yard sale and wondered if I could help!" Here was someone I had never met, offering to help. Little did I know, Courtnee would not only be another pair of hands (well, three other pairs considering her hard-working children), she would donate amazing items that would bring in about $500.

Sarah worked to gather youth in her ward to help plan and organize this sale. During the early-pregnant-exhaustion she was going through, she truly went the second mile...and even brought donations and her mother to help!

Jill was there before I even arrived. She was already unloading donations and was ready to get going on whatever I requested that she do. She was gone for a long time dealing with the sign posting headache...and came back with bottles of cold water and graham crackers for my kids. When it came time for me to head back home Friday evening, she stayed and not only maintained the yard sale and then closed it down for the night, but she gathered in $170 more dollars! Her children were also not only valuable in their work skills, but they were so well-behaved and kind. Her son gave us his only silver pieces as his donation. They were all there for the full two days, offering their help, time and energy.

Natasha and her husband were ready to jump into the car in their pajamas to help us the night before the sale. Then, in her first trimester of her first pregnancy, there she was working right along with everyone else...for two whole days.

After hearing horror stories from well-meaning people, Ana stopped at the yard sale and, before walking away with her small children, said, "I was adopted out of California when I was 14 and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I LOVE my adoptive mom and dad. They are my mom and dad in every way. I thought, at first, that my adoptive mom would leave me like my own mother did. But, she didn't and I love her so much for it. It's a wonderful thing you're doing. I am so grateful for my family!" She may never know what that positive comment did for my heart, but I will vividly and gratefully remember her for it.

A young Christian military family came over. They came to see what the sale was all about. Upon learning of what we were doing, they chose a few things and then wrote a check for almost $200...well beyond the value of their purchases. They were so humble, so sweet, so kind. They were the epitome of who and what we should be as followers of Christ. The thing is, they didn't just come and do that on Friday, they came back Saturday...and wrote another check. This time, it was larger. I felt almost pained to accept it, knowing what a sacrifice it must have been for them. The husband then explained to me that they discussed it and considered it their tithing. His wife, through her tears testified, "God provides, God provides." Yes, He does. And, the sum of life is always brought back to the fulness.

For all these angels, I pray that they will receive 1000-fold what their sacrifice was...whether that is monitarily, in abudance of peace or joy or simply a record in Heaven of what they were willing to sacrifice for the lives of two children, it will be returned to them.